American Honey
by piper maru duchovny
Summary: It's like good, homegrown American honey. - Dantana. Post-Sleight Out Of Hand.


**Okay, so listening to American Honey on repeat for like two hours means me coming up with this. All of Lindsay's family comes from my other story 'Shattered Pieces Remain' but it's a little bit happier. This is set before Shattered Pieces Remain and set after Sleight Out Of Hand. :) **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

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_She grew up on the side of the road,  
Where the church bells ring,  
And strong love grows,  
She grew up good,  
She grew up slow,  
Like American Honey,  
Steady as a preacher,  
Free as a weed,  
Couldn't wait to get going,  
But wasn't quite ready to leave,  
So innocent, pure and sweet,  
American Honey  
_-Lady Antebellum's 'American Honey'

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The gravel crunched and dirty melt off water splashed as the white Ford pickup rolled to a stop on the gravel driveway of the Monroe ranch. Lindsay Monroe put the truck in park and slid from the cab, waiting for Danny to join her at the front bumper, "You still with me, Cowboy?"

"Just a little tired, didn't sleep much on the plane." Danny ran a hand over his exhausted face as he joined Lindsay. The Monroe ranch stretched for several hundred acres tucked into the base of the mountains just outside of Bozeman, Montana. The smell of fresh hay, manure, and the clean air was a strange occurrence for the born and raised city boy.

The screen door slammed open and slapped behind a racing teenage girl. She looked like a Monroe from her dark brown eyes, dirty dishwater curls, and dark red cowboy boots that slapped against the muddy earth as she sprinted toward the couple. Lindsay smiled as the girl called out, "Aunt Lindsay!"

"Peanut!" Lindsay greeted the girl with open arms and almost got toppled over as they collided. As small as she was, Lindsay still lifted the teenager several inches off the ground and squeezed her back with equal intensity, "Oh, I've missed you. What are you doing here?"

"Grandma called Daddy and had him bring me over. I can't miss my favorite aunt when she's in town." She crossed her arms over her chest and copped such an attitude, Danny thought he was seeing a younger version of his Montana.

"I'm your only aunt, Blake Lynn." Lindsay tapped the girl on the side of the head.

"That's here nor there." Blake rolled her eyes and she hugged Lindsay again, "You're still my favorite and I've missed you lots. What's New York City like? Are you dating anyone? How did the trial go? Are you okay? I love you."

"Blake, breathe." Lindsay laughed, "New York is amazing." She cocked her head towards Danny, "That's my cowboy. The trial.. he was convicted. And I'm okay, now that I'm with my peanut."

"Oh," Blake sassed, turning her attention to the half-asleep detective, "You're Danny. Aunt Lindsay has told me lots and lots about you."

"Blake Lynn Monroe." Lindsay growled and Danny chuckled, "Ignore her, Danny, she has a way of talking herself into all sorts of trouble."

"Sounds like someone I know, Montana." He spoke in a tone that sounded like he was pulling her pigtails on the schoolyard.

Blake's jaw dropped, "She lets you call her Montana? She dated this boy in college that was from California. He tried to do that once and my daddy had to stop her from hogtying him and hanging him from the rafters in the barn."

"Blake!" Lindsay glared at her, "Start running, Kid."

"Hi Danny, it was nice meeting you. Please come to my funeral." Blake spoke quickly before turning and sprinting off toward the barn.

"She's trouble."

Danny laughed, "She's you, Montana."

"Yeah," Lindsay watched Blake enter the barn before turning back to Danny, "She's thirteen, I was fifteen when she was born and I was her resident babysitter til I left for New York. Her dad's my oldest brother." Her arm linked with his as she lead him to the house, "Beware, most of the Monroes have gathered and they tend to be a tiny bit overprotective with me."

"You're the only girl?" He took a swing.

"Yup," She giggled, "just like B, only granddaughter in a slew of grandsons." She pushed open the door to the house and was greeted with the smell of home cooked food. Her nephews had congregated on the living room floor and were playing with their Lincoln Logs, "Howdy, Boys."

"Aunt Lin!" The boys ranging from ten months to seven years all scrambled to get to their aunt. Danny watched as she was drug to the floor where her nephews began to use her for their own personal jungle gym and she soaked up every moment of their affection. He was beginning to realize how hard it must have been for her to leave all of them and why she had so many long distance minutes on her cellphone plan.

"Charlie, Huck, Paul, let Aunt Lindsay get a breath." A woman with long blond hair and fierce green eyes entered the room and lifted the boys off his partner by the back of their overalls. She flashed him a smile, "I'm Lauren Monroe – Jake's wife and Blake's mother, you must be Lindsay's someone."

"I'm someone and I guess Montana can claim me as her property." Danny winked at Lindsay and she stuck her tongue out at him before smothering her nephews with kisses, "I met your daughter. She's-"

"-A total smartass." Lauren finished, "She caught it from her father I'm afraid. Where'd you run her off to Linds?"

"She took off toward the barn when I threatened to get a few licks in." Lindsay chuckled and ruffled four year old Huck's hair, "She'll come runnin' when dinner is on the table. She's growin' like a weed, Laur."

"Yeah," Lauren nodded, "Jake's taken to callin' her Little Lindsay."

"Yeah, well, Jake's gonna just love the feelin' of my boot up his ass." Lindsay rolled her eyes as Huck toddled off to the kitchen.

"Gammaw, Gammaw!" The raven haired little boy called out, "Aunt Lin said a swear!"

Lindsay cringed as her mother's shadow cast across the living room floor, swooping up her grandson, "Aunt Lindsay better not have said a swear. She knows we don't say words like that in this house and I can still turn her over my knee."

"Yes, Mama." Lindsay gave a small smile before muttering under her breath, "dammit."

Danny helped Lindsay off the floor and turned to greet her mother, "I'm Monta- Lindsay's... boyfriend, Danny."

"Ah, yes, the cowboy from the city. I've heard a lot about you." Grace Monroe gave him a one armed hug with Huck balanced on her other hip, "I'm Grace Monroe. It's a pleasure to finally put a face with the name."

"Likewise." He smiled and laughed as Lindsay made faces at her nephew. A pull came to his pant leg and he looked down at Charlie, "Yeah?"

"D'ya wanna play Lincoln Logs with us, Uncle Danny?" His heart stopped at the brand new title, they weren't even dating yet and he had just been dubbed 'Uncle Danny', "Sure, Buddy."

Lindsay's heart melted as she watched him lower to the floor and begin a game of make believe with the boys. Stretched out on his stomach, exhausted as he was, he fell right into the world where ranches were made of Lincoln Logs and plastic green G.I. Joes were the cowboys that worked the land. She watched with adoration as Lauren lead her into the kitchen, whispering in her ear, "You are so smitten."

"How did the trial go, Baby?" Grace asked, handing Lindsay a bag of green beans and a pot. Without need of instruction, Lindsay took a seat in the corner, placing the pot between her legs, and began to snap off the ends.

"It went really well... once Danny showed up anyway." She leaned her head against the oak cabinets and did the work as second nature, "He just hopped on a plane after pulling a triple, flew all the way here just because he thought I needed the support."

"Why do you get the love story of the century," Lauren began peeling potatoes, "and I get your stupid brother with his crooked grin stealin' my heart at the county fair."

"You love my stupid brother with his crooked grin who stole your heart at the county fair." Lindsay explained, "Anyways, they convicted him. He's gonna pay for murdering the girls. They can finally rest in peace."

"They've been resting in peace for ten years, Baby," Grace spoke, "it's you who needed the finality and the trial. You finally got your peace, Lindsay."

"Yeah," Lindsay smiled and let her thoughts drift to Danny, "I really did."

A half hour later, the back screen door opened and in walked the Monroe men. Lindsay's father, Aaron, followed by her three older brothers, Jake, Eli, and Riley. Aaron kissed his wife and then pressed a kiss to the top of Lindsay's hair, "You doin' good, Scout?"

"I'm doin' fine, Daddy." She smiled as he went to wash up for dinner. Her brother's followed suit, ruffling their little sister's hair on the way through.

"Jake," Lauren caught the oldest Monroe's arm, "Where's Blake? Lindsay said she was runnin' off toward the barn."

Jake grinned, "B's outside rinsing off. She took a bit of a spill."

Lindsay snorted and hopped up, "She fall from the hay loft?"

"Right into the stable she was supposed to muck this afternoon and never did." Jake chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Lauren, "Just like someone I know."

"Shove it, Jacob." Lindsay smarted with one hand on her hip and the other cocking her finger at her big brother, "I got just as much dirt on you." She peaked her head around the corner and smiled at a passed out Danny and her nephews playing.

"Whatchya doin' sister sue?" Riley asked, coming down the back set of stairs and peaking over her shoulder, "Who's that?"

"That," Grace pointed her spatula at her sons, "is your sister's friend and you're all gonna be nice to him, ya hear? I don't want no repeat of the Walker Thompson evening."

"But, Ma, Walker had it coming!" Eli whined as he reached into the pot and grabbed a raw green bean to eat as Lindsay slapped his hand, "Behave, Shorty."

"Need I remind you all that you're adults?" Aaron asked as he entered the kitchen, "Lindsay Jo, why is there a New Yorker sleeping on my couch?"

"He came to support me, Daddy." Lindsay placed her hands on her hips, "He's a good man and I refuse to defend him to the likes of the three stooges."

"If you like him, then he's okay by me." Aaron spoke for the group, giving his sons warning glances, "You always did have a good judge of character."

"Favorite." Jake taunted and stuck his tongue out at his sibling.

"Brat." She fired back before turning to Riley, "Where's Hannah?"

"At home with Mitch. He's got the flu and Huck wanted to see his Auntie Lin, so we decided to tag team."

"Yeah," Lindsay rolled her eyes, "Your boy ratted me out for saying a swear."

"Good boy." Riley called to Huck and gave him thumbs up.

Eli's wife had left him when she fell in love with someone else. He got his sons on the weekends and Lindsay's heart broke for her big brother, but just like all the Monroes, he took the pain in stride and did what was best for his sons.

"What's up?" Blake opened the back door and stepped in with sopping wet clothes. The mud and manure had been rinsed from her clothing and person, but she was shivering in the early spring air.

"Go wash, Smelly Girl." Jake laughed and Lindsay followed her niece up the stairs to her old room. Lindsay's room was just like she had left it after college; 4-H ribbons and rodeo trophies littered the shelves, framed pictures of the girls on her desk, and piles of books everywhere. She touched the horse shoe above the door frame and prayed for a little luck when it came to her love life. Padding barefoot across the wooden floor to her old bed, she collapsed with her left arm behind her head and right leg behind her left knee as she stared at the dream catcher that hung above her bed.

"Hey, Aunt Linds." Blake reemerged in a pair of Lindsay's old basketball shorts and Montana State hoodie, "Can you do my hair?"

"Sure, Peanut." Lindsay sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Blake took a seat between her Aunt's legs and Lindsay brushed through the tangled locks before braiding them into pigtails. As Lindsay worked methodically on her hair they caught up on all the things they had missed.

"Ryan McArthur kissed me at Jamie's birthday party." Blake admitted and Lindsay smiled as Blake recounted the tale of spin the bottle and the awkwardness of being thirteen.

As she wove the hair between her fingers, "Was it a good kiss?"

"Kind of." Blake scrunched up her nose, "he has braces and they were felt really weird."

"Braces are the worst," Lindsay giggled, "it'll get better with time, B, there'll be plenty more games of spin the bottle and a few rounds of seven in heaven."

"Seven in heaven?" She raised a brow and Lindsay rejoiced in her obliviousness.

Lindsay smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of Blake's head, "What I'm saying is that this is the first of many. The kissing will get better, the boys will get cuter, and you can always call me to talk about it."

"I've missed you." Blake squeezed her leg in a vice grip, "I know we talk on the phone all the time but it's just not the same. I miss laying on the porch and talking to you and your silly faces when I'm sad."

"I miss it too, Honey," Lindsay promised, "but New York is where I'm meant to be right now. Maybe you can come visit me sometime, huh? I'll take you shopping in Manhattan and we'll go check out a Broadway show."

"Just me?"

"If that's what you want." Lindsay smiled as she secured the second braid, "Blake, I might be on the other side of the country but I am still your Aunt and you're still my Peanut."

"So," Blake tipped her head back, "is Uncle Danny a good kisser?"

"I haven't gotten to investigate that yet," Lindsay giggled, "but when I do? You're gonna be my first call."

"Promise?"

"Promise! Who else would I dish to?"

"Yeah," Blake stood up, "Okay. We better get down stairs for dinner."

Lindsay nodded her head in agreement as she draped an arm around Blake's shoulders and lead her down the stairs to where everyone had congregated around the dinner table. Danny was still asleep on the couch, so Lindsay parted with Blake at the table and went to wake her Manhattan Cowboy. Sitting beside his hip on the couch, she ran her hand through his blond locks, "Danny, time to wake up. Dinner's ready and the Monroes are ready for the Spanish Inquisition."

"Hey," He groaned and stretched like a cat as his back popped, "You look like an angel, Montana.'

"You're just that exhausted, Cowboy." She took his hand and interlaced her fingers with his, pulling him from the couch, "It's time for dinner."

"Mmkay." She began to walk away but he pulled her back and met her with a kiss. She couldn't believe that she was kissing Danny Messer in the middle of her parents living room with her family waiting on the other side of the wall, but that's what was happening. Her arms encircling his neck and his hands finding her waist as they kissed as slow as molasses in winter time. He pulled away slowly, "I'm ready for dinner now."

Lindsay couldn't hide the goofy grin as they walked hand-in-hand to the dining room. Blake turned in her chair and smiled at them before mouthing, "Did you kiss?"

"How was it?" She mouthed when Lindsay nodded the affirmative.

"Amazing." Lindsay mouthed back and both girls broke into a fit of giggles that no one else understood.

Dinner passed with relative ease as the Monroe brothers were on their best behavior. Lindsay had smothered her niece and nephews in a thousand kisses before bidding their goodbyes. Blake held on for an extra long moment and Lindsay promised her that come summer time she'd make sure Blake got to see New York City.

As the sun faded into the horizon and Lindsay's parents escaped upstairs to sleep, Lindsay and Danny sat on the porch swing in silence. Danny rocked them slightly as Lindsay played with the fingers on his right hand, "Danny, relax. I'm not moving back here."

"You just fit so well here, Montana."

"Yeah, Cowboy," She nodded, "but I fit in New York too. Look, I miss this town sometimes. I miss the smell of the ranch, the sounds of animals waking me in the morning. I miss swimming in the creek and going to the county fair. I miss running around barefoot all year round and the four feet of snow we'd always have by Thanksgiving. I miss wearing my cowboy boots without getting mocked and I miss the only station coming in clear being country. I miss the concrete being hot beneath my feet and washing my hair outside in the summer rain. But, Danny, for all the good things this town holds, it holds a lot of bad as well. I don't regret any of it, I'd gladly do it all over again and not change a single thing, but I've experienced everything I possibly can. I got to grow up in the country and enjoy the simple things in life. Now, I'm living in New York City and I wouldn't trade that either."

"You really are good at the ranting."

"Shut up," Lindsay warned and continued, "Look, I like the challenge of living in New York. I like waking up to the sounds of the rushing city, I like walking through Central Park. I like the fact that I can get Chinese delivered at four o'clock in the morning. I like my job, I like my friends, I like my life. And, more importantly, I like you. I'm not leaving New York, Danny, I'm not leaving you. I can have roots and wings."

"Yeah," He smiled, "You can. I'm glad you're okay, Montana. I'm glad I got to see Montana in Montana with her little Montana niece and her crazy nephews."

"Yeah?"

"It's like... good, home grown American Honey."


End file.
